1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to playground recreational equipment and in particular to a play set having the structure of an excavator type backhoe machine including support tracks, cab, main boom, stick, bucket with toy box, counterweight, elevated platform play area, monkey bars under the boom, swings and a slide.
2. Description of Related Art
Playground equipment in the prior art has taken many forms and shapes such as play houses, tree houses, spaceships, gum ball machines and many other structures. Such structures have been made of popular materials such as wood, plastic and metal. Children are known to be attracted to construction equipment particularly toy dump trucks, tractors with plows and jeeps. A safe, reliable, sturdy structure having the appearance of an excavating machine has not been available for children's recreation that includes a play area, swings, monkey bars, slide, ladder and simulated machine controls.
In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 250,783, issued Jan. 9, 1979 to Dieter et al., assigned to Creative Playgrounds Corporation, a playground structure is shown having a slide at one end of a raised walkway with a ladder extending from this end and at the other end of the walkway a second ladder for climbing to an intermediate height platform before climbing up to the walkway. A third ladder extends from a lower platform adjacent to the intermediate height platform. An auto tire is suspended horizontally from the center of the raised walkway.
In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 253,362, issued Nov. 6, 1979 to Dieter et al., and assigned to Creative Playgrounds Corporation, a playground structure is shown comprising a rope ladder, a swing, two platforms at different heights, the upper level platform having a two sided pitched roof, stairs attached to the lower level platform and a slide extending from the lower level platform.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,900, issued Apr. 21, 1981, to James D. Vinson, this patent discloses a playground set comprising an elevated house, called a treehouse in combination with at least one of the following additional items: one or more swings suspended from a slide extending down from the treehouse, gymnastic bars, a see-saw, parallel bars, backboard for playing basketball, and a fireman's pole.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,965, issued Jan. 25, 1983 to Paul W. Ahrens, and assigned to Miracle Recreation Equipment Company, a playground climber is shown having a slide or extending from one side of an upper portion. FIG. 1 and FIG. 7 show two embodiments. In FIG. 1 a pair of end pieces 14 are interconnected by a tube. The end pieces are octagon in shape with an axial opening provided in each end piece which in turn communicates with the passageway in the tube. FIG. 7 shows an A-shaped playground climber having four pairs of end pieces and a slide bed extending from an opening in end piece to the ground.
In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 274,450, issued Jun. 26, 1984, to Richard F. Gordon, and assigned to Sportsplay Creative Enterprises, Inc. an outdoor child's play unit is shown comprising a raised platform with a two sided pitched roof and the platform is reached by a ladder. A slide extends from the platform to the ground. Swings are provided on each side of the platform.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,328, issued Jul. 5, 1994, to S. Eric Robinson, a play structure that is made with a plastic building element is shown which permits a variety of play structures to be assembled. One embodiment resembles a spaceship or lunar lander using two of the building elements, one inverted over the other and bolted together. Another embodiment resembles a gum ball machine. A slide and rope ladder extend down to the ground from doorways cut in the side walls of the lower shell that is made with a plastic building element which permits a variety of play structures to be assembled.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,232, issued Mar. 5, 1996 to Denny W. Morris et al., a modular playground equipment system is shown comprising a platform including a base portion, a floor portion covering the base portion having a plurality of connection means disposed in spaced apart relation around the periphery of the platform and adapted for attachment to one of the playground equipment modules. A plurality of upstanding columns are attached at one end thereof to the base portion and adapted to one end thereof for attachment to at least one of the playground modules such as slides, and stairs. An upstanding structure attaches to each of the columns, and provides leg supports for the platform.